You probably already know you are supposed to reduce your sugar and certain other unhealthy foods when you have diabetes, but did you know a low-carb diet is also recommended? Here is a look into why eating a lower carb diet can be helpful with managing type 2 diabetes.
Carbs Can Turn Into Glucose
The main reason why your doctor might recommend going on a low-carb diet if you were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is because carbs can turn into glucose. Not just any carbs though, so don’t assume you need to have a zero carb count by the end of the day. Complex carbs, like whole grains, whole wheat, and veggies are typically allowed on any diet where you reduce your total carbohydrate counts. It is the refined carbohydrates, such as white rice, white pasta, white potatoes, and more starchy vegetables that can convert into sugar. Since you need to keep your glucose down, this can be a bad situation for you.
Learn the Carb Limits With Diabetes
The first thing you should do is understand is exactly how many carbs to have each day. While your doctor will likely provide you with a number of their own, the average amount for someone on a low-carb diet should be around 100-125 grams of carbohydrates a day. You will need to start logging everything you eat to make it easier to track them. A good place to start is by logging what you eat now during a typical day, then see how many carbs you are eating. It will let you see where you are adding a lot of those refined carbs you really don’t need in your diet so you can make some adjustments.
Know the Right Serving Sizes
Even if you know what foods are lower in carbohydrates, you also need to understand what serving sizes are. Eyeballing servings is something you will eventually be able to do, but you might want to start with measuring and weighing your food. Do you know that a 3-ounce piece of chicken breast should fit in the palm of your hand? It is actually smaller than you probably think. You need to know exactly how much of each food item you are eating to be healthy and also keep your carb counts low.
Tips For Staying on a Low-Carb Diet
If you are struggling with a low-carb diet, start slow. Continue eating your favorite meals, but just adjust some ingredients. Switch to spiralized veggies for pasta, but have your regular pasta sauce, go with sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes, and try making cauliflower rice instead of having white rice. These are very small changes that are easy to stick to.
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